


Second Chances

by Thighz



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Adoption, Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, Family, Family Dynamics, Family Reunions, Jack and Gabe work through their issues, M/M, holiday feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 08:09:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13231605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thighz/pseuds/Thighz
Summary: But he is a bad man, Gabe thinks, a bad, dangerous man, who got himself in a mess of trouble that he has to follow through to the end.“He’s a fool.”“He loves you.” Jack yanks him around by his shoulder, visor to mask, “He still loves you, even though you betrayed us both.”“I was doing this for you.” Gabriel snarls.A story about a boy, his fathers, and giving love a second chance.





	Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

  * For [maderi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maderi/gifts).



> The amazing, Mech came to me a while back and wanted a Dad Au with our old soldiers, but with a twist: A collab between Artist and Writer.
> 
> Please visit [Ufficiosulrento](http://ufficiosulretro.tumblr.com/) and see her absolutely, _breathtaking_ artwork for this fic: [Here](http://ufficiosulretro.tumblr.com/post/169190844057/illustrations-i-did-to-accompany)  
>  Plus, check out [Coelasquid's](http://coelasquid.tumblr.com/) amazing artwork for this AU as well! You can find it: [Here](http://coelasquid.tumblr.com/post/167369883928/coelasquid-heard-there-was-a-reaper76-reverse)
> 
> This project has been a long time in the making and it is with the greatest joy and honor that I present this to you for the New Year.
> 
> This gift is for **everyone**. Every supporter of R76 who has cried, laughed, and journeyed with us. May your New Year be everything you wish it to be and more.
> 
>  
> 
> _Enjoy_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They get married in the middle of the war.

Gabe slides a cheap, golden band over Jack’s finger and doesn’t bother hiding his smile when Jack returns the gesture. They’re all covered in dust and debris and it’s not an  _ official _ ceremony, but Gabe couldn’t wait any longer. He couldn’t stare at Jack’s back as he took out Omnics left and right and die not knowing if Jack would even say yes.

Of course he says yes, though. He grabs Gabe by the back of the neck and kisses him despite his split lip and the head injury Angela should really look at after the makeshift ceremony.

Jack’s knuckles are bruised from going hand to hand with an omnic sympathizer who had a gun he didn’t know how to use. His smile is shaky as Reinhardt continues the ceremony in a loud, boisterous voice that carries across the desolate battlefield.

Ana is shaking her head from a perch near the skirts of their lull zone. Her sharp eyes are the only things keeping them from getting picked off.

It is the second happiest day of Gabriel’s life.

The first one coming much sooner than either of them anticipated.

Two days after the rings were placed and congratulations were dolled out, the war was back on.

Gabe watched Jack’s back and Jack watched his. They waded through waves of omnics, losing people and parts of themselves along the way. Ana made sure the skies stayed clear and her voice was a calm in the storm of radio chatter of casualty reports that made Gabe’s head spin.

He nearly loses Jack on the fifth day.

A bomb seperates them in a matter of seconds. Gabe nearly ruins his hands trying to dig through the debris. Ana is on the ground with him, yanking at his shoulders and barking orders into the comms.

_ Civilian complex bombed. Rescue teams needed- _

There were still people in that building. Good people. Innocent people who didn’t ask for this war.

Jack’s stupid, foolish ass always rushing in without thinking. Listening for the cries of a people in need and never weighing the consequences of leaping.

Ana keeps him centered, keeps him calm as they wait for the rescue teams. Gabe sweeps the outer edges of the bomb site and ensures no lingering omnics will thwart rescue attempts in the sector. He has to shoo away reporters as well. Vultures circling a den of raw meat just waiting to plaster lies and slander across the front pages and incite panic among a people who are already at their wits end. 

He’s shoving an angry finger into the chest of one particularly pushy reporter, emotions high at the potential loss of his five-day old husband, when a victorious shout crackles on the comms.

Gabe whips around fast, reporter forgotten in seconds.

The moment is too perfect to be real. The sunrise is just peeking over the edge of the horizon, nearly blinding over the heaping pile of broken concrete and steaming pipes. It halo’s a tall, broad form Gabe would know anywhere. That stupid blue coat is covered in dust and dried blood, blonde hair reflecting the sun, and a small boy clutching at his hand. 

Gabe can hear the reporter snapping photos behind him, but he’s too busy striding over broken omnics. He climbs through the debris and meets Jack halfway down in an embrace that nearly bowls them both over.

The kid makes a muted sound beside them and Gabe releases Jack long enough to drop to the boys level.

“You okay, kid?” He puts out a hand and the kid sniffles, tears leaving muddy streaks down dusty cheeks. A small hand fills his own and Gabe squeezes it, checks it for injuries.

“We need to get him to Angela.” Jack’s voice sounds worse than usual, “That dust is lethal.” He coughs and wipes at his face.

“Commander Morrison!” One of the rescuers shouts, “We have two more down here!”

Jack nods, “Get him to her for me?” 

Gabe opens his arms and the kid falls into them gladly. He lifts him up before turning to face Jack.

Jack is trying to escape, but Gabe’s having none of that nonsense. He yanks at the torn material of Jack’s coat and halts him in his tracks.

“I gotta-.”

Gabe drags him forward, bringing him to eye level, “Don’t you  _ ever _ do that to me again.”

Jack chuckles, tired and amused, “What? Almost die in an explosion or surprise you with a kid?”

Gabe pulls a face and it only makes Jack laugh again. The blonde leans forward, still smiling, and presses it against Gabe’s mouth, “Keep me posted on what Angela says.”

“You know I will.” Gabe sighs, watching Jack pull away and make his way over to the rescue teams and their dogs. 

He brings the kid to the medical station, where Angela fusses over him and bandages him up with special tape that he can draw on. The kid seems perfectly content to draw little stars and suns on his bandages as Angela takes Gabe to the side.

“Where are his parents?” She keeps her voice low, blue eyes trained on the boys movements.

“Jack didn’t say.” Gabe crosses his arms and sighs, “I don’t think many people survived that explosion, Ang.”

Her face falls, pity replacing worry, “That’s what I was afraid of. So many children orphaned from this war. A mess.” She rubs at her temples, “I must contact social services.”

Gabe wrinkles his nose, “I hate dealing with them.”

“Don’t we all?” She mutters, “I know they’re doing their jobs, but sometimes I think they forget there are actual children involved and children do not understand the gravity of what’s going on.”

“How long until we have to turn him over?” Gabe asks.

“In this mess?” She waves at the smoking buildings and battered soldiers, “Twenty-four hours, maximum.”

“Okay.” Gabe nods, “Jack’ll want to see the boy before we hand him over. We’ll take him back to HQ with us.”

“I’ll let them know where he’ll be.” She agrees.

Gabe patches into the comms while Angela returns to the boy, asking him if he’s okay, if he needs anything to drink. He tries to get ahold of Jack, but only manages to snatch Ana, who is taking a helicopter to another rescue site. 

“ _ I think he was heading your way.” _ She offers, “ _ I’ll let you both know when I return to base.” _

“Stay safe, Amari.” He walks over to the kid and pulls up a chair.

The kid glances up from his drawing, brown eyes wary. He can’t be much older than eight. Maybe 9. Dark hair, brown skin, and wearing ruined spider-man pajamas. His face is still stained with dirt and tears, so Gabe reaches over to a table with wipes and hands him one.

“Name’s Gabe.” He offers it as a white flag.

The kid takes it, movements slow and cautious. He wipes at his cheeks and over his nose and forehead, “David.”

“Nice to meet you, David.” He drapes his arms over his knees, body aching and tired from days worth of non-stop fighting.

“Were you fighting in the war?” David asks quietly, dirty wipe clenched in his little fist.

“I was.” Gabe confirms, “The man who rescued you was too.”

“Jack.” David mumbles, “Jack found me hiding.” A sniffle and a hiccup, “Momma put me there. Told me to be really quiet.” Those eyes close and the tears slip down, “Jack told me I did a good job - but momma -.”

Damn.  _ Damn. _

Gabe scoots his chair closer to the bed and rests a hand on the kids clenched fist, “Jack is right. You did good.”

“Real good.” Jack’s voice agrees from behind them.

Gabe glances over his shoulder and relaxes. Jack sheds his coat and sets it over the back of a rolling chair. He pulls that same chair around and takes a seat beside Gabriel.

“You’re going to come back to base with us tonight.” Jack keeps his voice low, soothing, “That okay?”

David gives a minute nod and continues to cry. Gabe feels Jack set a hand on his knee and squeezes. He looks down at it, gold band gleaming in the artificial tent light and his heart clenches.

How close was he to losing this? What if Jack hadn’t made it out?

All questions he never wants the answer to.

  
  


 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

 

 

  
  


The kid takes to Jack like a fly to honey.

He follows Jack around and beams up at him when he talks. It pulls at just the right heartstrings for Gabe to wonder if maybe they should step in. They have hectic lives as soldiers, but if rumors are true and Jack really will run the new Overwatch, then maybe they can get the leeway needed to bullrush an adoption.

Jack isn’t opposed to the idea. In fact, he lights up like a goddamn christmas tree and if that isn’t enough to make Gabe 100% on board.

The social services worker walks in on them while Jack is allowing David to wear the legendary blue jacket.

It’s been three days since the picture of Jack and David made the front page of every major newspaper in the world. They’re plastered on every holo vid in spitting distance and it’s painting Overwatch in a good enough light that maybe, just maybe, they’ll get the go ahead to form sturdier teams.

David is laughing, a sound it took quite a bit of time to bring out, and wearing a grin that could burn the stars out of a job. The jacket is way too big, it drags the floor behind him, but David struts around like he owns the place. Jack watches on, arms at his back and a smile of his own ticking at his lips.

“Artie Feinstein.” The worker shakes Gabriel’s hand nervously, eyes roaming between Jack’s massive form and Gabe’s own.

“Commander Gabriel Reyes.” He nods towards Jack, “Strike Commander Jack Morrison.”

“Yes - I -.” Artie clears his throat, “I know who you are.”

“Then you know why we delayed your arrival.” Gabe’s smile is shark-like, “Commander Morrison and I are interested in pursuing the adoption process.”

Feinstein blanches, “I was afraid that might be the case, Mr. Reyes -.”

“Commander.” Gabe smiles on.

“Yes - uh - Commander Reyes, sir,” Feinstein pats a hand against the folder he walked in with, “But you see, this is a long process. The boy has numerous steps to pass before he can be integrated into the adoption pool. He has lost his only living relative in war. He must undergo serious psych evals -.”

“The boy has a name.” Jack steps in, still sans coat.

Gabe glances over his shoulder to see David seated at a table, pencil and paper at the ready and still wearing the blue monstrosity.

“I am aware he has a name.” Feinstein clears his throat nervously.

“We are more than able to provide whatever care he requires.” Jack’s voice carries serious weight and Gabriel never gets tired of watching men cower under that sharp, blue stare.

“I don’t doubt that -.” Feinstein points at his folder, “But I have to follow protocol.” 

“We aren’t asking you to skimp on your paperwork, Mr. Feinstein.” Jack takes a half a step into the man’s space, “We are asking to speed up the process so he doesn’t get lost in your system.”

Gabriel watches in mild fascination as the man puffs up like an insulted porcupine, “I will do no such thing. War heros or not, I will do my job properly.” He dusts of the sleeve of his shirt in a manner that is supposed to look nonchalant, but fails horribly, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to make a phone call.” He spins on his heel and exits the room. Gabe can see him through the glass of the rooms window as he pulls out a slim device and puts it to his ear.

Gabe leans into Jack, “You go above his head?”

“High above the mountains.” Jack affirms.

“You are so sexy.” Gabe growls, “How does it feel, having all that power?”

Jack gives him a long-suffering look, “I am the least qualified person to lead Overwatch and you know it.”

“You’ll do fine.” Gabe slaps him on the back, “We both have our strengths coming out of this war. You lead us into the light and I’ll take care of the dark corners.”

“Without  _ cutting _ corners.” Jack reminds him sternly.

Gabe gives half a shrug and turns to David. The kid grins back at them and Gabe wonders if that smile will get wider when they tell him the good news.

“You know,” Gabe begins as they walk to David’s table, “They’re talking about building you a  _ statue _ .”

Jack punches him in the shoulder.

 

 

 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

 

 

 

  
  


A statue is built. Jack scowls at it every chance he gets and Gabriel reminds him about it even through mission back channels while he’s away.

Months pass and the holiday season reminds Jack that with all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, he’s forgotten to shop for David.

“We should agree on something small.” Gabriel taps a finger to his chin, coffee mug in his other hand.

“Like baseballs, clothes, more drawing pads?” Jack asks while leaning against the counter of the watchpoint break room. 

“Yea. It’s his first christmas with us.” Gabe nods, “I know you like to go all out, but it might be good to ease him into such a big change.”

Jack glances out the window of the room, watching snow and ice pelt the glass. They still hadn’t even gotten around to putting the tree up. Gabe’s been on so many mission’s with the new recruits and Jack didn’t want to do it without him. Something they should probably remedy now that Gabe’s back at the watchpoint.

“Okay.” Jack agrees, “But I bet I get him the best one.”

Gabe sneers over his coffee mug, “Oh yea? Ten bucks?” He wiggles his eyebrows, “Best parent gets to top for Christmas day sex.”

“I accept your terms.” Jack grins, strolling over and swooping in for a kiss.

Gabe hums into it, eyes closing and hand warm from the coffee mug curling around the back of Jack’s neck. Jack sinks deep and devours, hating that he has to go so long in between missions to have this. It’s still achingly worth it in the end.

Christmas morning finds them all piled up in Gabe and Jack’s bed. David is between them, flipping through Jack’s phone. Gabe is alternating between slow, fathomless kisses with Jack and conversing with David about whether or not the snow would stay on the ground for the rest of the day.

They take their time getting dressed and Jack has to corral David in the hallway while Gabe makes sure everything in the living room is set up perfectly.

David is practically vibrating with excitement.

“Pa, what did you get me?” He wiggles, grin stretched from ear to ear. 

Jack ruffles his hair while adjusting the santa hat on his own head, “Santa doesn’t tell.”

“Awwww.” David groans, rolling around on his heels and jumping for joy when Gabe rounds the corner of the hallway, “Dad! What did you get me?”

Gabe, wearing his ridiculous antler sweater, waves his arm out in an overly exaggerated bow, “Go see for yourself.”

David lets out a peel of a squeal and beelines down the hall. Gabe keeps his hand out for Jack and he takes it, squeezing lightly before following their son into the living room.

The tree is a giant monstrosity that Jack himself picked out at the local tree farm. It’s covered in multicolored lights and handmade ornaments, most from David, one from Jesse, and two little birds from Fareeha. Numerous gifts wrapped in pretty paper sit under it atop a bright green tree skirt. 

“I’m going to go make some cocoa, hands up.” Jack kisses Gabe’s knuckles and lets go of his hand so his husband can take a seat on the couch.

Both hands shoot skywards and Jack chuckles. 

His socked feet make no sound across their hardwood floors as he enters the kitchen. He can hear Gabe pointing out which presents are David’s and which ones are theirs.

Jack pours hot milk in each mug, stirring the chocolate in and topping Gabe and David’s off with extra marshmallows and whip cream. He passes out the mugs between the boys once he’s reentered the living room and winks at David.

“I’ll be right back. I got you something extra.”

He doesn’t miss the way Gabe pauses with the mug to his mouth. Brown eyes dart up and squint at Jack, “Extra.”

Jack just smiles and walks out of the room again.

“John Jack Morrison.” Gabriel warns from behind him.

“Ooooo.” David coos in return, “Dad used your full name! On Christmas!”

Jack ignores both of them and walks into the spare bedroom. He ties his gift up with a bow and makes sure that the box is in perfect condition before making his way into the living room once more.

Gabe is eyeing the box with obvious distaste.

Jack takes a seat with the gift in his lap, grinning. He waves at David, “Open your other presents first.”

David nods in excitement and tears into his pile of gifts. He gets art sets and a baseball glove. A bright red baseball cap comes out of the last one and Jack’s throat tightens as Gabe leans forward and adjusts the strap to fit David’s head perfectly. 

“You’ll grow into it.” Gabe assures, flicking the edge of it with a smile.

He leans back into the couch and side-eyes Jack, “Your turn.”

Jack carefully places the box in front of David, “This is a special gift. You have to take very good care of it.”

David nods, eyes wide as he studies the smallish box tied with a red bow. His hands reach out to touch it, pulling the ribbon free. The box bounces and skids to the left. David shouts, falling back onto his butt and sending his cap backwards.

“You  _ didn’t _ .” Gabe hisses under his breath.

Jack sips his cocoa, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

David tears the lid of the box off and cries in happiness as a white nose darts out and a pink tongue licks the length of his face. He giggles and gathers the puppy up in his arms, petting at its head and allowing it to wiggle with glee in his lap.

“I thought we agreed on a  _ small _ gift.” Gabe groans.

“It is a small gift.” Jack waves a hand at it, “It’s a small puppy.”

“That’s cheating.” Gabe frowns, “Damn it.”

“I win.” Jack sends him a smirk, “Ten bucks and that sweet, sweet -.”

“Can we name it spot?” David gasps, twisting his head around to face his dads.

Gabe lifts an eyebrow, “It doesn’t have any spots on it.”

“She.” Jack clears his throat, “She doesn’t have any spots.”

The bell around her neck jingles as David holds her up in the air. His smile is blinding and she pants at him, tail continuously twapping against his arms.

“Abby.” David decides firmly, a crinkle forming between his brows, “I want to name her Abby.”

Jack tucks his feet under Gabe’s legs, “Any reason why, kiddo?”

David is quiet for a moment before he tucks Abby close to his chest and she drops her snout on his shoulder. His small fingers card through her fur and Jack pauses, smile dropping from his face.

“Abigail was my moms name.” David whispers.

Jack shares a pained look with Gabe, who reaches forward and readjusts the cap on David’s head.

“Then I’d say Abby is a perfect name for her.”

 

  
  
  


-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

  
  


 

 

“Hold your stance. Step out with your foot and then pause, throw.” Gabe watches as Jack stands even with David, ball in hand and mimicking the same directions he just said out loud. David is watching attentively, glove situated on one hand and a spare ball in the other.

He sips at the beer in his hand and smiles.

Jack throws the ball across the yard and it bounces off the wooden fence on the other side. He looks down at David with a grin, “Don’t worry about the direction of it right now, just get the steps for throwing down.”

David nods determinedly and spins to face the fenceline. He does everything Jack does, though a tad bit mechanically. They ball flies off course, as Gabe expected it would. Jack strides in its direction and picks it back up, bouncing it in the palm of his hand.

“That sucked.” David pouts.

“Nothing is ever perfect the first time you do it.” Jack assures, tossing the ball in the short space between them.

David catches it between the glove and his free arm. He gets back into his firm stance and the same look of concentration passes over his face.

Jack chuckles and sets his hands on David’s shoulders, “Relax, champ.”

“I don’t want to be a noodle.” David complains.

“But you won’t. Just drop your shoulders a little, don’t leave your arm too stiff.”

“I’m never going to be as good at this as you.” David sighs, eyes casting up to look at Jack forlornly.

“Of course not. I’m in my thirties, David.” Jack laughs, “I’ve been playing ball since I was your age.”

Davids eyes go wide, “That’s a long time.”

“Yea.” Jack squats down to David’s level, “So I’ve had a lot of practice.”

“So. Practice.” David mumbles, rolling the ball between his glove and his hand, “Can I practice every day?” 

“If you want, sure.” Jack nods and taps the red cap atop his head, “Even if I’m not here. Practice and practice. I promise you’ll be as good as me someday.”

David nods enthusiastically and returns to his throwing stance. Jack pats him on the head as he walks towards Gabriel.

“How about a basketball goal for next christmas?” Gabriel asks, turning his face up to Jack as he passes.

Jack chuckles and sinks into the lawn chair beside Gabe, “I don’t know a damn thing about basketball, Gabe.” 

“Something for me to teach him then.” Gabe grins, taking another swig from his beer before reaching down to snag one for Jack.

Jack takes with a soft ‘thanks’ and turns his face to David, who is retrieving the ball after his sixth attempt at trying to hit the fence.

“Never thought we’d get this.” Jack mumbles.

Gabe frowns, “David?”

“A kid.” Jack sweeps a hand across the yard, “A life outside of surviving injections and fighting omnics.”

“Yea. Me neither.” Gabe nods, “Always figured I’d either die during one of the sessions or get shot in the back of the head during the war.”

“I’d never let that happen.” Jack hisses, reaching out to snag Gabe’s hand, “I’ll always have your back, Gabe.”

Gabe drags him forward for a kiss, “Till death do us part.”

Jack kisses him again until a loud thunk pulls them away.

David lets out an excited cheer, pointing wildly at the fenceline where his ball finally hit, “I did it! Pa! I did it!”

Jack raises his beer and Gabe clinks his against it, “Good job, kiddo. Wanna show us this time?”

David gives a happy shout and rushes to retrieve the ball.

 

  
  


 

 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

 

 

 

  
  
  


Time moves fast when you’re happy.

You don’t even realize it’s ticking away until it’s too late.

David grows quick and he grows tall and handsome and happy. He wears Gabe’s baseball cap everywhere and Abby is ever the loyal companion.

Jack watches him learn hand to hand from Fareeha and how to point a revolver from Jesse. Ana buys him a new drawing album every year for his birthday up until the day she disappeared. Then Jack does it and then the beautiful, wheat-haired woman who David brings home one day begins to take over. David vows to marry her the second time he brings her home to Jack and Gabe.

Jack and Gabe smile and pretend they aren’t hurting one another behind David’s back. That the fighting and the shouting and the blatant anger that hovers between them like a black cloud doesn’t exists when David steps back into their lives.

Because David reminds them of every good thing they’ve ever done. He reminds them that under all the super soldier experiments and the walls bricked between them, they still love each other. 

The wedding day comes and goes. Jack keeps a picture of it with him at all times. Gabe kisses him in the reception hall and holds Jack’s face between his hands and promises it’s going to get better. Promises he’s going to fix it and that everything with Petras, with Overwatch, with Blackwatch is going to be a vivid dream.

Jack doesn’t realize how much that promise is going to cost them until it’s too late.

He gets a notice from Athena that David is trying to reach him. It’s urgent, he’s walking fast and he’s still fuming from his last argument with Gabriel. Blackwatch is rolling down the drain and Petras threatening to strip Gabriel of his rank, his entire life. Accusing him of being a  _ traitor. _

Jack confronting Gabriel and getting a faceful of angry, insulted husband. 

He never makes it to his office.

The building goes up in flame and thunder and ash. Screams erupt from all around him and he scrambles at the walls, trying to hold onto something. To anything. 

All he can see is Gabriel’s face, twisted with anger and pointing a finger at Jack. Calling him a sellout. A pawn of Petras. A waste of Gabe’s time.

Then he sees David, smiling up at them with a puppy in his arms and wanting to name it after his mother and getting married under a plum tree.

When he wakes, the world is dusty and dark. It’s silent. His face is bleeding and his body aches, he’s pretty sure his ankle is twisted. 

He shoves away debris and tries to search for survivors.

He finds Gabriel’s body instead. Soaked with blood and lifeless. 

He cradles Gabe to his chest and pours a thousand apologies against his temple. His fingers are wet with warm blood and his heart bleeds just the same. He can’t breathe, he can’t think.

He runs instead.

  
  
  


 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

  
  


 

 

Gabriel regrets a lot of things in his life.

Not bringing Jack to meet his grandmother. Never bringing David to an actual baseball game. Telling Jack he was a waste of time. Telling the one person who Gabriel loved with his entire  _ being _ that he didn’t deserve to be a father or a husband. That he was just sucking up to the higher powers to keep his precious job as Strike Commander. That he didn’t care about what happened to Gabriel, or David, or David’s family.

David’s  _ family. _

No amount of regret would ever replace the sick, twisted anger in his gut at the loss of meeting David’s family.

Gabe had spent so long bitter and hellbent on taking Talon down from the inside, that he forgot he had a son. The pain from his regeneration, the poison that pulsed through his body at the hands of that  _ woman _ . He had been so blind in those last few years.

He had been so hellbent on making sure he aged with his husband. Jack, who went white so much earlier than the rest of them. Who ran his fingers over the crinkles at the corners of his eyes and smiled sadly at Gabe, who didn’t understand why he still looked thirty at nearly fifty.

Jack spent so much time standing guard at the gates of a hell Gabriel made himself. He blocked Petras and the council and the world from seeing what Gabriel did behind the scenes. He was ever the steadfast, loyal husband he’d always been.

And Gabriel spit in his face. Accused him of horrible things.

Jack had stood there and taken it. He’d given Gabriel that frustrated, sad smile and just - taken everything Gabriel threw at him. He never threw it back, just absorbed the angry, bitter words and continued on. 

Gabriel planned to apologize, he really had. Hell, he’d been halfway to Jack’s office rehearsing the entire thing in his head when the bomb went off.

Then he’d woken up in a pile of smoke and ash, horrified as his flesh and bone began to form and disintegrate in staggering intervals. He’d screamed, shouted, begged someone to come find him. He spent hours searching for Jack’s body, only to find the tattered blue coat and not much else.

The funeral for every lost member of Overwatch in the explosion was held on a rainy day. Gabe watched from a distance as he son and his wife and his -

Grandson.

Gabe’s talons ripped into the stone of a grave.

There was a newborn baby in David’s arms. Swaddled tight and guarded by two umbrellas and the hand of his mother.

David’s face was buried in his son’s hair, eyes closed and tears leaking from the corners. His wife’s hand rubbed circles into his back as every surviving member expressed their condolences and left the gravesites in equal amounts of sadness.

David’s wife carried the baby back to the car and left him at Gabriel and Jack’s graves. He didn’t bother with an umbrella, just stood between them and let the water drench his funeral clothes.

Gabe wanted to fuss at him, much like he’d always done when David ruined his nice outfits with mud or water. Jack always found it amusing, because growing up on a farm meant  _ none _ of his nice clothes were spared dust or grass or mud.

“I knew you two were fighting.” David’s voice carried, bitter and biting in the cold, “Just because I didn’t live with you anymore didn’t mean I couldn’t tell when my own parents were pissed at one another.” He rubs at the material of his now wet jacket, “I just hope you two didn’t walk away angry.” He reaches out and touches Jack’s headstone, a sob breaking free, “You both told me to never walk away angry.”

Gabriel can’t bear to watch the rest.

He returns to Talon. Returns to Sombra and Widowmaker and the roundtable that was hellbent on deciding the fate of the world from the shadows.

He sat at its head, as a leader and proceeded to lie and manipulate his way higher.

The years swept by, some longer than most.

Finding out Ana was alive tipped the scales. Finding out  _ Jack _ was still alive sent him into an angry frenzy.

Instead of falling to his knees and kissing Jack’s old, worn face - he shot him in the back.

Anger and madness have long since set in. He’s nothing but a shadow, an empty, furious shadow that no one believed when he begged them to. Left behind in a pool of his own blood to become what he is now.

Had Jack, still alive and whole, even bothered to find Gabriel’s body? Did he even mourn?

Gabe never asks. He shoots first and watches Jack hit the ground, groaning. Ana screams his name and shoots him the shoulder. Always protecting Jack. Always taking Jack’s side.

He hisses his final words at her and disappears.

He watches her pick Jack up, jacket torn and blood soaking down into the fabric of his pants. Her words are soothing and Jack is trying to shove her away.

“He’s right.” Jack’s voice has become worse with age, “This is all my fault.”

“No Jack. No.” She insists, hand pressed to his chest, “This is no one persons fault. We are all products of the choices we made.”

“And I chose to ignore the signs.” Jack snaps, “Was he changing already before the explosion? Did we let this happen to him?”

“Did he go to her of his own free will?” Ana hisses, “You know Gabriel. I know Gabriel. He’s always bent the rules and it’s always worked, but what if this choice was his own?”

Jack shoves her away and limps to pick up his gun, “He wouldn’t have had to make it if I’d just listened to him.”

Gabe wonders if that would have changed a thing.

  
  
  


 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

  
  


 

 

“Are you going to let me look at it or are you going to continue to sulk?” Ana asks from her corner of the tomb.

Jack frowns down at his hands. There’s sand under his fingernails and calluses edging the skin of his palms. He can feel blood drying tacky and tight along his lower back. His pants are stiff and his jacket is in tatters on the floor.

“Sulk it is.” She sniffs, turning up her nose, “Suffer then.”

“I need to feel it.” Jack grouses, lifting his gaze to stare at her, “It reminds me why it happened.”

“Gabe shot you in the back.” She points a finger at him, “Because he’s angry at the world and refuses to admit that the reason he’s become a monster is from his own choices.”

Jack sighs and the sound is heavy, “I didn’t listen to him, Ana.”

“Explain it then.” She hisses, “Tell me what turned you two against one another. You two were happy when I died, Jack. You had each other and David. The world was at your feet.”

“He -.” Jack swallows and it hurts to recall the memory of where it all started, “I was complaining about the wrinkles.” He lifts a hand to his face, feeling at the old lines and scars.

 

_ “I’m only forty-five.” Jack mumbles, “Should my hair already be this white?” He tugs at his receding locks, eyes squinting at his reflection in the mirror. _

_ Gabe sidles up behind him, strong arms wrapping around his middle until his skin, still warm and wet from the shower, is pressed flush with Jack’s. His mouth peppers kisses along Jack’s shoulder blade, teeth and tongue sending shivers down his spine. _

_ “What are you grumbling about over here?” Gabe’s mouth finds its way to Jack’s ear, where he nibbles and sucks and sends Jack’s brain into a feedback loop of shuddering pleasure. _

_ “My hair. My age.” Jack sighs. _

_ Gabe’s eyes meet his in the mirror, “I’ve actually been talking to Moira about that. She thinks the serum affected us differently.”  _

_ Jack lifts an eyebrow, “Like, I’m aging faster and you’re aging slower?” _

_ “Basically.” Gabe affirms, fingers playing with the hair leading to Jack’s groin, “I was thinking of letting her take some blood samples from us. See what she can find.” _

_ Jack doesn’t like the sound of that, “Gabe, we can’t do that.” _

_ Gabe jerks back, affronted, “Why the hell not?” _

_ “That serum was conducted in a secret facility. We aren’t even supposed to formally acknowledge that it even existed.” He narrows his gaze, “And Moira does not have the necessary security clearance to even do a physical examination of any member of Overwatch or Blackwatch.”  _

_ “Morai excels in the chemical imbalances of the human body, Jack. She’s a better option than Angela.” _

_ “Angela is the actual doctor for this organization. Moira’s work is theoretical at best.” Jack snaps. _

_ “Jack. We need to check on this.” Gabe’s arms fall from around Jack’s waist and the movement makes his stomach drop unpleasantly.  _

_ “We can’t.” Jack turns around to face him completely, “No one will authorize the type of experiments Moira would have to conduct to figure out what’s going on.” _

_ “Then get the authorization, Jack.” Gabe’s hands curl into fists, eyes narrowed dangerously, “You have the power to get this looked into.” _

_ “I also have the power to shut it down before you make a choice that could potentially harm you.” _

_ “For fuck’s sake, Jack. It’s just blood tests!” Gabe throws up his hands, “You can approve a little needlework.” _

_ “It’s not worth losing our goddamn jobs.” Jack snarls, “Think of David. Think of the entire team. Think of  _ **_your_ ** _ team. We both have responsibilities.”  _

_ “I’m thinking of you!” Gabriel shouts, throwing out a hand in a violent sweep, “I married you because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Jack. I can’t fucking do that if you’re dead early because some stupid enhancement program wants us to keeps our lips sealed.” _

_ “We also can’t do that if you’re in jail.” Jack barks. _

_ “Jack -.” _

_ “I said no.” Jack points a finger at him, “That’s an order, Reyes.” _

_ Gabriel’s face twists in anger, “Fine.  _ **_Commander_ ** _.”  _

Jack rubs both hands down his face, fingers brushing his lips as he meets Ana’s eyes from across the room, “It feels like we fought every day for the next five years. He grew distant. Genji left. Jesse left. He got angrier and angrier and the fights always ended with me sleeping in my office most nights.”

“Jack.” Ana whispers, “What did he do?”

“I’ve been digging since the explosion.” Jack admits, “In the middle of trying to rid the world of every corrupt organization tied with Talon, I tried to find out what happened that day. What lead up to it.”

She’s silent for a moment before a soft, “You found out.”

“Yea.” Jack’s throat tightens up, “I found out. The hard way.”

  
  


_ The hallway is ruined and most of the rooms are caved in. It smells like brimstone and ash, there’s old bloodstains on the walls. Zurich is now just a giant pile of broken dreams and wasted potential that the government refused to clean up. _

_ He opens filing drawers and pulls apart bent cabinets, trying to find anything linking Talon to Overwatch’s inner workings. _

_ It’s been picked clean. _

_ Or at least, that’s what he thinks. _

_ He finds the room by accident. Stumbles upon it while he’s trying to find his way out of the ruins. _

_ It’s obviously a lab, not one that he recognizes, but still fully stocked and at one point was probably state of the art. Funded by Overwatch. _

_ No, Jack thinks, staring at the broken vials and computer screens, funded by Blackwatch. _

_ Because Jack never authorized any lab outside of Angela’s.  _

_ Which only left Moira. _

  
  


“My god.” Ana curses with a shake of her head, “What was he thinking?”

Jack closes his eyes, “The he wanted to grow old with me.”

“And so he thought allowing a woman we barely knew to perform illegal experimentation on him? It was foolish and irresponsible.” 

“If I had been on his side of the line,” Jack admitted, “I would have done the same thing.”

Gabe had been desperate, in love with Jack and scared of losing him. Jack knows the feeling. 

He also knows that seeing Gabe’s dead body and mourning him in the rubble of everything they built together, was nothing compared to seeing him warped and ruined in a body created by someone else.

Is the old Gabe even still in there? Did he still think about Jack the way Jack thinks about him?

Because Jack spends most of his days and all of his nights living in those memories. He camps there, in the early morning light of their bedroom, with Gabe’s fingers twined in his own and David snoring softly on his back.

He can still feel the warmth of Gabe’s hand and the weight of David above him. Abby is kicking at the foot of the bed. The world is a quiet, safe place.

And Gabe -

Gabe is always looking at him, eyes dark and so full of his obvious love for the both of them.

It’s the only thing that keeps Jack going. It fuels him in the dark alleys and the long nights hunting for answers.

Jack reaches down for his duffle bag, fingers searching for his most treasured possession. The wrinkled surface catches the tips and he pulls it out of the bag.

It’s a picture of Jack holding David, it’s spring and beautiful and they’re both smiling at the camera. Gabe had taken the picture and Jack had never been so goddamn happy. All of them had been. 

Jack’s fingers shake as he stares down at the picture.

“Have you ever thought about finding David and meeting your grandson, Jack?” Ana asks, her tone sad.

Jack scoffs, “Does Fareeha know you’re alive?”

Ana scowls at him, “Of course she does, Jack. I told her as soon as I knew it was safe to do so.”

“Well, Fareeha is a soldier.” Jack snaps, “David isn’t. He’s a curator and his wife is a librarian and they don’t need to know anything about this goddamn mess we’re all caught in.” 

“What’s your grandsons name, Jack?”

Jack puts his face in his hands. His throat hurts and his ruined eyes burn and he’s so goddamn tired.

“Levi.” He croaks.

“You need this, Jack.” She persists, “What are you fighting for anymore? An empty future if we succeed? Hiding for the rest of your life?” He can hear her footsteps drawing closer until the weight of her body dips his cot. A warm, solid arm wraps around his shoulders and it reminds him of the ache from the shotgun wound, “Wouldn’t it be nice to end this war and have a son to return to?”

God. It would be perfect. To finally rest. To hold his son again.

“I can’t.” He shakes his head.

“This choice is yours, of course.” She runs her fingers through his hair, “But think about it Jack. Promise me?”

“Yea.” He leans into her touch, “I promise.”

  
  
  


 

 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

  
  
  


 

 

Gabe has a routine when the end of the year rolls closer. No matter what his mission is, no matter where he is in the world, he always,  _ always _ finds his way back to David’s hometown.

Sombra covers for him, why, he isn’t quite sure, but she does.

David’s small family, his wife and son, have a tradition. One that he carried down from all his years with Jack and Gabriel.

On december first, they drive down to the largest tree farm and pick out the perfect tree. Then get cocoa and burgers on the way home.

Gabe watches in the shadows from behind his mask and wishes the world had been different. He wishes he’d made different choices, said different words, tried other options. He wishes he’d found Jack before the explosion. So he could apologize and try to find a different route.

But it had been too late, hadn’t it?

Gabe had already sat under Moira’s needle and watched his body fade in and out of existence. He’d listened to her cackle and experiment with his genes until she had the perfect cocktail in which to perfect her own weapons.

What happened to him was only a side effect of her experimentation, not the ultimate goal.

Now he lives with the consequences and has to sit at a table with her and pretend he’s been in on everything from the start. Listening to them assume the world is as black and white as they see it is almost laughable at this point, but Gabe is in too deep to try and escape now. 

He joined in on their little tea party to stop the corruption in Overwatch. Only to realize that  _ he _ was part of the infection.

“Have you ever tried talking to them?”

Gabe goes tense, smoke bleeding out quickly in an attempt to escape from the rough, low voice behind him.

“Don’t you dare.” The voice warns, bootsteps drawing closer.

Gabe can see David holding out a warm cup of cocoa to Levi, who has a mustache of whip cream. The wife throws her head back with a laugh and wipes his face with a napkin.

A gloved hand curls over the curve of Gabe’s shoulder. His smoke pulls back in like the sucking of a drain. He turns his masked face halfway in the soldiers direction.

The visor is still in place. They aren’t Jack and Gabe. They’re Reaper and Soldier 76.

“I can’t walk up to my -.” Gabe swallows, “I can’t walk up to him the way I am now.”

“He’s not stupid, you know.” The forefinger on his shoulder points in the diners direction, “Our son. He watches the news, the holo vids. He knew who we were before the rest of the world.”

Gabe scoffs, “Impossible.”

“We raised him.” Jack reminds him softly, “He’s smarter than the two of us combined, I think.”

Gabe casts his eyes in David’s direction, “Have you -.”

“Yes.” Jack answers. He doesn’t even need to finish the question, “Ana talked me into it.”

Gabe glances down at his the metal talons of his hands, “It’s easy for you to walk up to him and not be dead.” He curls them into fists, “I’m a monster, Jack.”

“Are you?” The question is flippant. Gabe frowns and lifts his face up to face Jack completely.

“Have you even looked at me?” Gabe hisses.

“Well, if you spent more time fighting me from the front instead of shooting me in the back all the damn time, maybe I’d be able to.” Jack snipes.

Gabe falls silent, eyeing the man in front of him and wondering how much of his husband is still in there. Sure, he walks and talks like Jack Morrison, but this sarcastic, bitter old man standing before him isn’t the one he fell in love with in a hospital room a lifetime ago. 

That Jack had been bright eyed and determined to help Gabe save the world. Something they’d accomplished together on numerous occasions. 

Now, Jack is hard shell over an empty center.

Just like himself, he supposed.

“When the war between Talon and Overwatch is over,” Jack’s hand falls from his shoulder, “What do you want in the end?”

“Both factions to be sterilized.” Gabe snarls.

“And then?” Jack asks, “I’m all for both of them going down in flame and ash, Gabe, but then what?” 

Gabe looks away again. Sees David helping his wife back into her coat, then helping Levi into his own.

“Do you want to spend the rest of your life hiding here? Watching them grow from the shadows,” A long pause, “Or do you want your son to know you’re alive?”

“I can’t.” Gabe growls, “Not as I am. There’s no way to reverse what’s been done to me, Jack. No child should have to see -.” He gestures down the length of his body, where smoke plumes from various places, “This.”

Jack doesn’t say anything for a long while and together they watch David and his family gather close for the walk back to their hover car. The snow creates a beautiful scene, a picture perfect family heading home with their pristine tree and bellies full of food.

“Do you know what he does every night?” Jack finally speaks and his tone is firm.

Gabe is starving for anything Jack is willing to tell him at this point, so of course he watches David’s family drive away and says, “Tell me.”

“He plays every holo vid he has of the two of us.” Jack says, “Every christmas, every birthday, our anniversaries. He shows him pictures of us and tells Levi the same stories we told him. All of our adventures, every grand thing we did.” He points a finger at the retreating taillights of David’s car, “That little boy in there thinks we’re heroes. He thinks we saved the world and he doesn’t know a goddamn thing about your bullshit with Talon, because David refuses to think you’re a bad man, Gabriel.”

But he is a bad man, Gabe thinks, a bad, dangerous man, who got himself in a mess of trouble that he has to follow through to the end.

“He’s a fool.”

“He loves you.” Jack yanks him around by his shoulder, visor to mask, “He still loves you, even though you betrayed us both.”

“I was doing this for you.” Gabriel snarls.

“You haven’t done a goddamn thing except play right into Talon’s hands.” Jack shoves at him, “Whatever bullshit you told yourself, whether you were trying to snuff them out before they got too high in power or if you truly built Talon from the inside of the good thing we built together, I don’t fucking care.” He takes a step back, runs a hand over the top of his head, “I can’t even begin to pretend to know what your plans are, Gabe, but don’t lie and tell me you did this for us.” He points a finger between them, “Because there is no us anymore.”

Gabe winces. He can’t help it. It rips open a wound he thought he’d sealed a long time ago.

“Then why are you here?” He grouses.

Jack’s sigh is chest deep and exhausted. If Gabe could see his face, the old lines and the wrinkled eyes, that exhaustion would run deep.

“An olive branch of sorts.” Jack says, “David wants to see you, if you’re willing.”

No.  _ NO. _

Gabe shakes his head, “Absolutely not.” 

“The choice is yours.” Jack reaches into one of his ammo pouches and retrieves a slip of red paper. He extends it for Gabriel to take, “This is where we’ll be.”

Gabe almost doesn’t take it. He stares down at the address written in David’s handwriting for a solid five minutes before taking it between his fingers. He can feel Jack’s stare from behind the visor and it’s intense and knowing. Jack is no fool. Gabe may be a ghost of who he used to be, but Jack still knew him better than anyone.

He’d be there.

  
  
  


 

 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

  
  
  


 

 

Jack secures the baseball cap on his head and checks to make sure the coast is clear. Not many people can still recognize him now, as old as he is and with the new scaring across his features, but he doesn’t like to take chances. Any enemy that could spot him was a danger to David and his wife and Jack’s grandson. That was a risk he refused to take.

“Think he’ll show?” David’s voice is quiet, subdued. They’re seated on a park bench, in a secluded part of the park. Snow is falling in flakes around them and the ground is absolutely covered in almost a foot of it.

Jack rubs the bridge of his nose, “I can’t speak for him, kiddo. You know that.”

“Is it really as bad as they say?”

Jack glances over at him, “What are they saying?”

“That he’s not even human anymore.” David whispers it, brown eyes solem and lips stretched thin, “Everyone who’s ever seen him has only seen black smoke and shotguns and a bone white mask.” His shoulders slump, “They call him a nightmare. A monster.”

“That’s what they turned him into.” Jack murmurs, “That’s what he became.”

“But is dad still in there?” A plea, a grasp for something, “Is the man we -.” A harsh swallow, “Is he still in there?”

Jack casts his eyes back to the ground, “Somewhere deep down, yes. I’m almost certain Gabe is still there.”

David opens his palms wide, “I just don’t want to spend Levi’s early years telling him one thing and him getting old enough to hack a holo vid and him see the truth.”

Jack reaches out and squeezes his shoulder, “You’re going to have to tell him someday, David. You don’t want him to find out the hard way.”

“Oh.” David scoffs, “Like how I found out about you? After five years? After I went to both of your funerals and had to listen to people smear your good names all over the -.” He takes in a harsh breath, lets it out in a puff of steam in the cold air, “I want so bad to believe that dad isn’t a traitor, pa.” 

Jack wants to believe it too. To the point of desperation some days. He wishes he could reach into that complex brain of Gabe’s and figure out what he has planned. What he was thinking from the very beginning. What he has planned for the future.

David checks his watch again, taps the glass face and sighs, “I don’t think he’s coming and I have to pick Levi up from the sitter.”

“It was good to see you again, kid.” Jack stands with him, claps him on the shoulder and squeezes again.

David pulls him in for a hug and Jack goes willingly, happily. The man is no where near Jack’s height or weight, but he has a good grip and Jack reveals in human contact. Outside of Ana, he doesn’t have much. David is just as giving and eager with his hugs as he was in his youth and Jack thanks the heavens for that.

“Take care of that kid of yours, David.” Jack pulls away and holds him at arms length, “Once this war is over, if you’ll have me, I’d enjoy taking him out myself.”

David’s bottom lip quivers and his eyes mist. He blinks a few times, “Yea, pa. I’d love that.”

The elation in Jack’s chest is swift and encompassing. He grins down at his son, pats him on the cheek and tips the edge of his hat, “Travel safe, son.”

“You too. Be safe.” David whispers, urgent and sincere.

Jack steps around him and his boots crunch through the snow as he begins his walk towards the cabs.

He makes it three full steps before he hears David’s breathy ‘Dad’.

Jack pauses, face scrunched up in confusion. He thinks David is calling him back for a split second, but David’s never called  _ him _ dad.

The next ‘dad’ comes out weaker, strangled.

Jack twists around on his heels, eyes widening as he watches a hunched figure stride towards them along the snowy sidewalk. 

It’s Gabe, dressed in a dark hoodie with the hood up and covering the smoking lines of his face. His  _ face _ .

Jack hasn’t seen Gabe’s face since Zurich. Since their last fight in the atrium. Since he rolled over in bed that morning and traced the lines of it before facing the day.

But there it is, plain as day as Gabe draws closer, hands shoved into the pockets of dark jeans and looking contrite and subdued.

Jack can’t catch his breath. God - he’s still so  _ hopelessly _ in love with -

David is running across the snow, slipping slightly in the ice and stumbling. He catches himself and keeps going though and doesn’t stop until he’s collided with Gabe’s chest. Gabe’s movements are shocked and slow, but his arms wind their way around his son’s body in a tight embrace that has Jack’s chest squeezing pleasantly. 

Jack takes his time walking over to them and David is crying into the shoulder of Gabe’s hoodie by the time he arrives. He keeps his hands balled in the pockets of his incognito jacket to keep them from reaching out and pulling both Gabe and David to his chest. David would welcome it, Gabe would not.

They aren’t the men they used to be. They aren’t -

“You came.” David’s face is pressed into the fabric of Gabe’s hoodie, voice muffed and fingers holding tight.

“You father has always been convincing in an argument.” Gabe mutters, dark eyes meeting Jack’s over David’s head.

“Isn’t that how he kept you in line?” David laughs and the sound is wet and croaking through the muddle of his tears.

“Kept me in line.” Gabe scoffs, a smirk ticking at the corner of his mouth, “Jack couldn’t tame me if he tried.”

“Back at you.” Jack sneers.

David pulls away and starts swiping at this eyes, the dark gloves on his hands drying up the evidence of his tears. He grins up at Gabe and Jack watches those harsh features soften. It’s a gradual thing and it melts the inside of Jack’s chest. He may not get to have his husband back, but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t give David both of his father’s back.

“I didn’t think you’d show.” David admits, “I invited pa to christmas dinner at my house and we were going to -.” He glances back at Jack, then to Gabriel again, “We were going to see if you’d like to meet Levi.”

Gabe visibly flinches, smoke leaking from edges of the hood shielding his face from the elements, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

David takes Gabe’s hand and holds onto the ruined, leaking skin, “Not going to force you, dad. Just wanted to give you the chance.” Jack watches him squeeze it, once, twice, before dropping it and taking a tentative step back, “I really do have to pick Levi up from daycare.”

Gabe nods, keeps his gaze locked with David’s, “I missed you, kiddo.” He reaches up and taps on the red, ragged cap atop David’s head.

David’s eyes water again and he barks out a laugh, “I missed you too.” He turns to Jack, “Thanks for this, pa.”

Jack smiles, “Keep it touch. Give Levi and Lisa a kiss for me.”

“Always do.” David takes another step back, like he doesn’t want to leave the dream world the three of them are caught in. Jack can’t blame him. 

Watching him walk away is hard, though. Jack always feels like it’s the last time he’ll see his sons back. Like he’ll die shivved in an alley somewhere and David will never know the truth.

“I can’t just do christmas with ya’ll.” Gabe mumbles.

“Why not?” Jack looks away from David’s retreating back.

Gabriel throws his arms out, nanites trickling over snow and twisting around Jack’s ankles in a dark, angry cloud, “Look at me, Jack. Do you want a five year old to see this?”

Jack gives him a once over, “Maybe lose the scary jacket.”

Gabe scoffs and shoves the hands back into the pockets.

“What do you want me to say, Gabe?” Jack shrugs, “You think he’s going to care about a little smoke or will he just be excited to see his grandparents?”

“You can’t goad me into going to this fucking christmas party.” Gabe snarls.

“I’m doing no such thing.” Jack counters.

Gabe hisses at him and starts pacing back and forth. His left hand comes out and shoves the hoodie back, dragging the fingers through his hair. Jack catches the glint of light under the parks lamp and his heart skips, shudders.

He reaches out without thinking, without knowing how Gabe would react. His hand closes around Gabe’s wrist and he holds it steady, eyes zooming in on the tarnished gold band around his ring finger.

“That’s -.” Jack croaks, throat tightening.

Gabe tries to pull his arm away, but it’s weak, it doesn’t even smoke out.

Jack fumbles to pull his own left-hand glove off, struggling with his teeth until it flutters into the snow below.

His own band sits in the same spot, tarnished with age and identical to the one beside his own.

“You didn’t take it off.” Jack’s eyes lift and lock with Gabe’s.

“I might be pissed at you, Jack,” Gabe begins, “But that doesn’t mean I stopped loving you.”

“I didn’t think you’d -.” Jack brings Gabe’s hand to his lips, kisses the ring and holds it to his forehead, “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Not the real you, at least.”

“I’m not real anymore.” Gabe says, “I’m dead, Jack. My body just forgot to finish the job.”

“No.” Jack shakes his head, “I saw you, I held you.” He drops the hand and cradles Gabe’s face between his own, “You  _ were _ dead. You aren’t dead now.”

Gabe squints, “You found me.”

Jack shakes his head, eyebrows lowered in confusion, “You think because of some stupid fucking fight, that you wouldn’t be the first person I’d look for after a whole building collapsed on us?” He tightens his fingers along Gabe’s jawline, “All I could think of was finding you.”

He can see Gabe swallow, “I was coming to apologize.” His own hands reach up and cover Jack’s, “I never imagined Talon would pull something like that. I was careful. I was monitoring  their movement.” 

“We both failed that day.” Jack insists, “This whole mess was a joint effort.”

“Maybe.” Gabe admits, “But I made it worse by -.” He glances down at his body, “I should have listened to you.”

“We both didn’t communicate well.” Jack drops his forehead against Gabe’s, “Gabe -.”

He wants to kiss him, to drown in his husbands body and never come back up for air. But he doesn’t have the time. They’re on two opposite sides of a war that is just getting started.

“Come meet your grandson, Gabe.” Jack whispers between them, “Just this once. Forget Talon, forget Overwatch, forget revenge and the world.” 

“Easier said than done.” Gabe pulls away.

The moment snaps like a fragile thread and Jack wants nothing more than to grasp for it again, beg to have it back.

Gabe takes another step in retreat, “I’ll think about it.”

“Please, Gabe.” Jack pleads, “Whatever you’re planning, I know you. It won’t end with anyone alive and I know you don’t want to go out like that and never have met your grandson.”

“I said -.” Gabe twists on his heels, “I’ll think about it.” And dissolves into a plume of black smoke, gliding along the cold park ground before disappearing in the fog.

Jack holds his hand out, staring down at the wedding band on his finger. At least now he knows the match is still in its rightful place.

For now, that’s enough.

  
  


 

 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

  
  


 

 

Gabe fully plans to watch Jack and David’s family interact from outside the home. He made a strict rule to stay in the shadows and watch them through the window like a fucking creeper just so his grandson wouldn’t have to look at him.

Despite Jack’s pleas, Gabe’s in no mood to look into the eyes of his son’s child and see the crippling fear. He may get pleasure from seeing it in his enemies eyes, but he refuses,  _ refuses _ to see it a child.

So he hovers near the trees and watches David lift his son high into the air with a smile. Levi is wearing a tiny santa hat and has a snowman painted on his right cheek. He’s flush with happiness as Lisa walks into the room juggling three mugs of cocoa.

Gabe frowns.

He assumed Jack would already -

“Are you not cold out here?”

Gabe sighs, sends a curse to the sky, “Goddamn it, Jack.”

A gravel-thick chuckle follows, “I knew you’d try to hide. I just looked in all the dark, scary corners of the yard.”

Gabe sends him a venomous look over his shoulder.

“Come inside and meet your grandson, Gabriel.” Jack crowds into his space, eyes blue and bright against the snow and darkness.

Gabe wants to say no. To dissolve and run like he always does.

Instead, he reaches out and pulls Jack down for a kiss.

Jack gasps against his mouth, but his hands catch Gabe’s hips and his mouth opens to accept it. He tastes like beer and chips. Like he’d been standing in the kitchen with David having a beer and snuck a fistful of chips before Lisa swatted his hand away. 

Gabe absorbs Jack’s moan, basks in the heavy weight of Jack’s chest against his own and the familiarity of kissing a man he spent over half his life in love with. Still in love with. Never stopped being in love with.

“Come inside.” Jack insists again, trailing lingering kisses along Gabe’s jaw.

Gabe can’t deny him after that.

So he allows Jack to wind their fingers together and pull him across the yard. Jack pops open the back door of the house and taps the toes of his boots on the welcome mat to dust off the snow and mud. Gabe does the same, then pats the flakes off of his beanies and jacket. 

“Oh.” Lisa’s voice is soft and her features are twisted in wonder. A smile follows, “I’ll go get the boys, then.”

“Thanks, Lis.” Jack gives her a meek smile.

She slips out into a hallway and Gabe can hear the exchange of words, a shriek of excitement. Jack leads him down the hall and Gabe studies the picture frames full of David, his wife, his son.

Pictures of Jack and himself. Their first christmas out in the snow. David up on Gabe’s shoulders. Abby’s first time at the dog park. Gabe wearing his jersey and lifting David up towards a basketball goal. Jack and Gabe in tuxes, Gabe’s hands formed around Jack’s face and staring at him with such love, such devotion. He realizes it’s from David’s wedding. The last picture of them together.

One of the last pictures is of his old office. David is at his feet, Gabe’s huge hoodie swallowing his tiny body. Gabe’s signature beanie is pulled over his eyes and David is wearing a smug smile.

“I remember that.” Jack chuckles, “He wanted to be you for the day.”

Gabe runs smoking fingers over the glass of the frame, “Nothing about Blackwatch was glamorous.” His throat tightens, “But he thought I had the coolest job.”

“What did he call you three?” He can hear Jack’s grin, “The three ninja musketeers. Gabe, Jesse, and Genji.” A low, fond laugh, “Ya’ll were his heros. You especially.”

“Wish I had lived up to it.” Gabe drops his hand.

“You did.”

Jack’s hand squeezes his own as they pause in the hallway for Gabe to stare at the dozens of pictures of his life and David’s and Jack’s all mixed together. He can feel the burn behind his eyes and the sudden, dizzy onslaught of emotions he’s spent the better part of ten years boiling to the surface.

“ _ Grandpa _ !”

Gabe feels like he’s moving through molasses as he turns in the direction of that eager, excited shout.

Up close, his grandson looks exactly like David, but his hair is wheat-colored and fluffy like his mothers.

Gabe squats down to his knees and opens the arm not holding onto Jack.

Levi’s laughter is heartwarming and beautiful as he rushes across the space between them and hops up into Gabriel’s arms. The boy starts babbling in his ear and then at Jack and then back at David as he steps up in front of them.

Gabe’s heart is just short of bursting. Hell, he didn’t realize he still had one still knocking around in there with all of the poison coursing through his veins.

David sets a hand on his shoulder, “Merry Christmas, dad. Welcome home.”

Gabe smiles.

  
  
  


**End**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for your continued support, comments, and kudos. The last year has been an amazing one. Here's to another.
> 
> May old soldiers never die.


End file.
